Now before we break down the preseason GDB for tonight's game against the Canucks understand that we attended the game against the Bolts on Thursday. Since that time we have been in self imposed exile. We must refrain from squeeing mightily all over the interwebs and have decided to reserve judgement until we can attend tonight's game as well.

Leaving aside from the approximately one in five members of the Nation who would love to see the Tri-City Storm’s goaltender coach suit up as Nikolai Khabibulin’s backup this season, the poll on the right shows a more than 3:1 lead for Devan Dubnyk as backup goaltender over Jeff Deslauriers.

I agree that Dubnyk is the better choice, but I’m surprised to see things so lopsided and I think it would be a mistake to suggest that Dubnyk is a vastly superior prospect to last season’s de facto starter.

A good way to track prospects progress is to take note of their arrows. Good arrows, bad arrows, they all count. Jani Rita's WJ goal, his first season in the AHL--those are good arrows. Any comment made by Craig MacTavish about Jani Rita? Down arrow. It's been years--over a decade--since the Edmonton Oilers had so many up arrows. It is a little overhwelming.

With all the focus on Jordan Eberle, Magnus Paajarvi, and of course Taylor Hall at this year’s training camp, I’ve been spending a lot of time thinking about whether it might be a good thing for one (or more) of start the season in Oklahoma City.